CNN's GUT CHECK | for February 14, 2014 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

ON VALENTINES DAY, OBAMA SHOWS HIS PARTY SOME LOVE …President Obama visited the House Democratic Issues Conference in Cambridge, Maryland on Friday, delivering what amounted to a quick 10-minute version of his State of the Union Speech, and thanking lawmakers for sticking with him through some tough legislative battles.

"This caucus has shown time and time again, under the most difficult circumstances, the kind of courage and unity and discipline that has made me very, very proud …When you guys are unified (and) you guys stick together, this country is better off." – Adam Aigner-Treworgy… WHILE BIDEN SHOWS THE GOP NONE: ‘THERE ISN’T A REPUBLICAN PARTY’ …`Vice President Joe Biden at the conference jabbed Republicans over factions within the GOP.

“There isn't a Republican Party, I wish there were. I wish there was a Republican Party. I wish there was one person you could sit across the table from, make a deal, make a compromise and know when you got up from that table, it was done. That's what Nancy is able to do. That's what the president is able to commit to … all you had to do is look at the response of the State of the Union, what where there – there or four [GOP responses to the SOTU address]? Now, I'm not being facetious!”

THE BUZZ:ROKER REGRETS ‘ONE TERM’ DE BLASIO CRACKAL ROKER ON THE TODAY SHOW FRIDAY: “I will say, the one tweet I do regret in the heat — I’m very passionate about the weather … I made a prediction that there would be only one term of his administration. I apologize for that. That was a little below the line. But everything else, I still stand by, including the fact that the National Weather Service did forecast that on Wednesday.”

WHOOPS!: GROUPON PRESS RELEASE HONORS “PRESIDENT” ALEXANDER HAMILTON:The press release reads, “Starting tomorrow, Groupon (www.groupon.com) (NASDAQ: GRPN) will be kicking off Presidents Day weekend by giving customers 10 dollars off 40 dollars when they purchase a deal for any local business. The $10 bill, as everyone knows, features President Alexander Hamilton - undeniably one of our greatest presidents and most widely recognized for establishing the country's financial system … President Hamilton is best known for the fiscal sensibilities that led him to author economic policies, establish a national bank and control taxes. Customers can honor our money-minded commander-in-chief and find deals by searching Groupon.com for local deals all through President's Day weekend.”

MARKET WATCH: Stocks end with solid gains. Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all rise more than 2% for the week.​

TRAIL TRIVIA(Answer below)
What is the longest presidential marriage in U.S. history?

the LEDEDid you miss it?

Leading CNNPolitics:Inside Politics: Hillary Clinton's telling words about critics, then and now
According to candid notes kept by a close friend, Hillary Clinton circa the 1990s hated Washington, distrusted reporters, kept an enemies list and blamed Monica Lewinsky as much, if not more, than her husband. Anything there you didn't know already? That is the fundamental question as report after report surfaces about a treasure trove of notes that Clinton confidant Diane Blair took during the Bill Clinton campaigns and presidency in the 1990s. Make no mistake, there are some priceless nuggets. – John King

Gut Check DVR:Catch John King’s new show ‘Inside Politics’ on Sunday at 8:30am E.T. with guests Peter Hamby, Robert Costa, Maeve Reston, and Annie Lowrey.

Leading Hollywood Reporter:Joel McHale to Host White House Correspondents’ Dinner
The host of E!'s "The Soup" and star of NBC's "Community" will be the night's entertainer at the annual Washington, D.C. dinner on May 3. Joel McHale is known for his sarcastic commentary on E!'s The Soup, where he satirizes pop culture by making fun of people appearing on reality shows, talk shows and even home shopping programs. – Tina Daunt

Leading Virginian Pilot:U.S. judge: Va. same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional
Add Virginia to the growing list of states where laws banning same-sex marriage are suffering legal setbacks. A ruling Thursday by Norfolk-based federal Judge Arenda Wright Allen found Virginia’s laws restricting marriage to one man and one woman unconstitutional on the grounds that they deny due process and equal protection rights. It makes Virginia the first state in the Southeast where a gay marriage ban has been struck down and opens a possible avenue to a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that could resolve the gay marriage issue for the nation. – Julian Walker

Leading Drudge:Nightmare: Record Flights Cancelled
The relentless snow and ice storms this winter have led to the highest number of flight cancellations in more than 25 years, according to an analysis by The Associated Press. U.S. airlines have canceled more than 75,000 domestic flights since Dec. 1, including roughly 14,000 this week. That's 5.5 percent of the 1.35 million flights scheduled during that period, according to AP calculations based on information provided by flight tracking site FlightAware. – Scott Mayerowitz

Leading HuffPo:Koch Brothers-Backed Ad Uses Paid Actors To Attack Mary Landrieu
The conservative nonprofit group Americans for Prosperity (AFP), which is backed by the Koch Brothers, released an ad Wednesday attacking Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) over her support for the Affordable Care Act. But as ABC News reported Thursday, the people appearing as Louisianans in the spot are paid actors. In the ad, the actors open their mailboxes while a narrator describes letters from insurance companies saying their family's plans are no longer available, doctors are no longer in their network and their monthly premium has increased. – Samantha Lachmann

Leading Politico:Comcast readies for Washington war
Cable giant Comcast started the day with a call to arms, hosting its lobbyists and consultants, along with Time Warner Cable’s, on a private conference call to begin building a strategy to beat back threats in Washington that could jeopardize its $45 billion merger. Comcast’s top congressional lobbyist Melissa Maxfield ran the call, laying out the company’s Washington outreach strategy for its in-house government affairs team and for its hired guns. – Tony Romm and Anna Palmer

Leading New York Times:Obama to Announce Aid for Drought-Racked California
President Obama, visiting Fresno, will announce a push for a $1 billion “climate resilience” program, as well as several million dollars in drought aid for the state’s farmers. – Coral Davenport

- Jindal warns of government assault on religious freedom -LA. GOV. BOBBY JINDAL AT A RONALD REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION AND LIBRARY EVENT ON THURSDAY. “The American people, whether they know it or not, are mired in a silent war ... This war is waged in our courts and in the halls of political power ... It is pursued with grim and relentless determination by a group of like-minded elites, determined to transform the country from a land sustained by faith into a land where faith is silenced, privatized and circumscribed.”

- Schumer: On the NSA, I am to the right of Rand Paul - SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, D-NEW YORK, IN AN INTERVIEWWITH FUSION’S JORGE RAMOS THURSDAY ABOUT THE NSA: "I am to the right of Rand Paul on this issue, if you will. Since our Constitution was founded, the founding fathers have had a great debate between liberty and security, and you have to have both … And I do think we have to move a little bit on the liberty side … But the wholesale elimination of the program, I think, leaves us too naked in terms of security, and you've got to have security as well as liberty.”

- McCain: Obama’s picks for U.S. ambassadors to Norway and Argentina are 'clueless,’ and ‘unqualified’ - SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, R-ARIZONA, IN A FOX NEWS INTERVIEW ON THURSDAY: “These are very important countries and we’re sending people that one, have never been there, but second of all, are clueless … It’s kind of entertaining and amusing how ignorant these people are, never having seen the country … But it’s also really disturbing because it’s a disservice to our country to send that kind of unqualified candidate to represent us and our interest there in these countries.”

- Ron Reagan Jr.: GOP is in ‘smoking ruins’ created by Cruz - RONALD REAGAN JR. IN AN INTERVIEW ON MSNBC’S CHRIS MATTHEWS THURSDAY NIGHT: “What exactly was on Ted Cruz’s mind? … What was he thinking of in terms of his Senate colleagues? Ted Cruz apparently thinks that somebody has got to rise out of the smoking ruins that is the Republican Party … Apparently he feels that somebody can be him. He first has to create the smoking ruins, of course, and he’s doing a pretty good job of that.”

TOP TWEETSWhat stopped us in 140 characters or less

John Bresnahan ‏(@BresPolitico)
Biden to House Dems (from source in room): "When I die, I want to be reborn in the Virgin Islands."

Ed O'Keefe (‏@edatpost)
As he ended closed-door Q&A w/ House Dems, Obama reminds them that Monday is President's Day, "so be nice to a president."

President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush have shared the longest presidential marriage in U.S. history. The couple celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary on January 6th.

President George H.W. Bush and Barbara met in 1941 when Barbara, 16 at the time, and George, 17 at the time, were both home from boarding school for Christmas vacation. The couple met at Christmas dance just a few weeks after Pearl Harbor, later saying it was love at first sight. They were engaged a year and a half later and married while President Bush was on leave from the Navy during WWII.

soundoff(7 Responses)

it must be stated

Does Joe Biden realize he is the laughing stock of the Democrat Party? He doesn't seriously think he could get elected President does he? The country doesn't need a senile Gaff-O-Matic after 8 years of an incompetent liar.

February 14, 2014 04:59 pm at 4:59 pm |

Sniffit

"Does Joe Biden realize he is the laughing stock of the Democrat Party? He doesn't seriously think he could get elected President does he? The country doesn't need a senile Gaff-O-Matic after 8 years of an incompetent liar."

I dunno...do you realize that "Derp" is a faster, more efficient way to convey the exact same message as your Teatroll talking points?

February 14, 2014 05:36 pm at 5:36 pm |

don in albuquerque

it must be stated

Yep, your right. After W you'd we would know better.

February 14, 2014 05:49 pm at 5:49 pm |

Tampa Tim

As for Joe becoming president, we elected a shoe ducker in 2004, and Joe is a lot more qualified.

February 14, 2014 06:08 pm at 6:08 pm |

If You like Your Country, You CAN'T Keep Your Country

Rid Washington of Democrats before it is too late and this country is taken over by lawless country invaders.

February 14, 2014 06:10 pm at 6:10 pm |

Ol' Yeller

@it must be stated/said/just saying/just askin/Donna... etc...

Does Joe Biden realize he is the laughing stock of the Democrat Party? He doesn't seriously think he could get elected President does he? The country doesn't need a senile Gaff-O-Matic after 8 years of an incompetent liar.

Oooohhhh.... A little jealously methinks!? Our VP is a hundredfold better than anyone you have to field for the presidency. He is a genius next paul or rubio. He is a stalwart statesman next to cruz or walker. He is a brilliant analyst next to jeb (the name recognition thing will kill him) or ryan. He is a free man next to christie (who won't be by the time 2016 gets here). HAhaahahaahahahaahah... .what a rube!

February 14, 2014 06:21 pm at 6:21 pm |

J.V.Hodgson

I'd take a man who says what he thinks in a genuine way ( occasional gaffe or not quite politically correct) any time versus and senior republican like say Boehner or McConnel and even more compared with say Cruz or Rand Paul or the Texas GOVERNOR, Perry. or a re-running Mitt Romney.
Regards,
Hodgson.